Pakistan cricket team overcome Blacks Caps

Pakistan cricket team overcome Blacks Caps

Pakistan cricket team crushed New Zealand by 48 runs in the second T20 International in Auckland on Thursday (January 25) for their first victory of the tour.

The tourists finally found form with both bat and ball to level the three-match series after a humiliating losing streak that included a 5-0 One-Day International series whitewash.

They set an imposing target of 202 after winning the toss and electing to bat, with half-centuries for Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman.

In response, New Zealand’s top order crumbled to 64 for 6 under a combination of tight bowling and commitment in the field from Pakistan cricket team.

“Pakistan cricket team was excellent tonight in all departments and we weren’t that good in any department,” said Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain. “When you catch them on a great day, you get the result we got.”

Fakhar and Ahmed Shehzad, the openers, laid the platform with a partnership of 94. Pakistan’s previous best top-order partnership during the six limited-overs matches played on tour so far was just 14.

The pair made the most of Eden Park’s short boundaries to comfortably dispatch anything short or wide for four. They punished pacemen Ben Wheeler and Seth Rance, who both conceded 13 runs in an over, prompting New Zealand to introduce spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner.

Fakhar ul Zaman:

Fakhar responded by belting three sixes off Santner’s first over, bringing up his maiden T20 half-century soon after off 26 balls.

Rance finally broke through in the ninth over, deceiving Ahmed with a slower ball that carried straight to Colin de Grandhomme on the boundary.

Fakhar fell in the next over, but Sarfraz Ahmed and Babar kept the scoreboard ticking over, taking Pakistan cricket team to 137 for 2 with five overs remaining. Sarfraz, in particular, displayed a confidence that had so far eluded him on tour to make 41 off 24 deliveries. Babar brought up his 50 and took the team to 201 for 4 with a four off the final ball of the innings.

Pakistan’s bowling attack capitalized on the good work from their batsmen by dislodging New Zealand’s top order cheaply.

Faheem Ashraf ended with figures of 3 for 22 while Shadab Khan and Mohammad Amir each took two wickets.

Colin Munro has trapped lbw for one, then, captain Kane Williamson made a rare golden duck before Tom Bruce was run out thanks to some sharp fielding from Haris Sohail.

The home team’s hopes faded when Shadab Khan took the prized scalp of Martin Guptill for 26, leaving them teetering at 52 for 4 and needing more than 11 runs an over.

Ben Wheeler and Mitchell Santner combined for a 54-run partnership but the early-innings damage meant the target was beyond them, and the hosts folded for 153.